Movement: An action done by an organism or part of an Malnutrition: Eating more or less than the required Heart rate: It is the

t rate: It is the number of heart beats in a minute. Effector: A muscle or a gland that makes a response.
organism causing a change of position or place. quantity of one or more food groups.
Plasma: It is the liquid part of the blood. It is made of Response: Contraction of muscle or secretion of
Respiration: The chemical reaction taking place inside Deficiency: Eating less than the required quantity of one water with dissolved salts, gases and nutrients. hormone.
living cells where nutrient molecules are broken down to or more food groups.
release energy for metabolism. Breathing rate: It is the number of breaths in a minute. Reflex action: A means of automatically and rapidly
Enzyme: Protein that is involved in all metabolic integrating and coordinating stimuli with the responses
Sensitivity: The ability to detect and respond to changes in reactions, where it functions as biological catalyst. Aerobic respiration: It is the chemical reaction taking of effectors (muscles and glands).
the internal or external environment. place inside living cells inside the mitochondria where It is a rapid immediate automatic involuntary action
Catalyst: Substance that increases rate of chemical nutrient molecules are broken down in the presence of that doesn’t involve thinking.
Growth: A permanent increase in size and dry mass. reaction without being changed or used up by the oxygen to release a large amount of energy needed for
reaction. metabolism. Synapse: It is a junction between two neurones.
Reproduction: The processes by which living organisms
make more of the same kind (species). Ingestion: Taking in of substances (food and drink) into Anaerobic respiration: It is the chemical reaction taking Antagonistic muscles: A pair of muscles that work
the body through the mouth. place inside living cells inside the cytoplasm where against each other producing opposite effects.
Excretion: The removal of the waste products of nutrient molecules are incompletely broken down in the
metabolism and substances in excess of requirements Digestion: The breakdown of food. absence of oxygen to release a small amount of energy Sense organ: Group of receptor cells responding to
outside the body. needed for metabolism. specific stimuli.
Physical digestion: Breakdown of food into smaller
Nutrition: Taking in nutrients for growth and pieces without any chemical change to the food Pathogen: It is a disease-causing organism. Blind spot: The point on the retina where the optic
development, repair of tissues & energy. molecules. nerve leaves the eye. It is not sensitive to light as it
Transmissible (Infectious) disease: It is a disease caused contains no rods or cones.
Species: A group of organisms that can reproduce to Chemical digestion: Breakdown of large insoluble by a pathogen which can be passed (transmitted) from one
produce fertile offspring. molecules into small soluble molecules by enzymes. host to another. Fovea: The point on the retina where the light rays are
focused to provide the best image. It contains the max.
Binomial system: An internationally agreed system of Absorption: Movement of nutrients from the intestine Active immunity: It is the defence against a pathogen by number of cones but no rods.
naming species in which the scientific name of an into the blood. antibody production in the body.
organism is made up of two parts showing the genus and Pupil reflex (Light reflex): The reflex action that
species. Assimilation: Uptake and use of nutrients by cells. Passive immunity: It is a short-term defence against a controls the amount of light entering the eye by
pathogen by antibodies acquired from another individual, controlling the size of the pupil in response to bright or
Tissue: A living tissue is made from a group of cells with Egestion: Removal of undigested food from the body as including across the placenta and in breast milk. dim light.
similar structures, working together to perform a shared faeces through the anus.
function. Drug: Is any substance taken into the body that modifies Accommodation: It is the process of changing the
Emulsification: Physical digestion of fats into tiny or affects chemical reactions in the body. thickness of the lens to focus on near or far objects.
Organ: A structure made up of different tissues, working droplets to increase their S.A. for making the action of
together to perform specific functions. the lipase enzyme easier. Medicinal drugs: Are the drugs used to help our bodies to Hormone: It is a chemical substance produced by a
fight infections (ex: Antibiotics). gland and carried by the blood plasma which affects
Organ system: A group of organs with related functions, Diarrhoea: It is the loss of watery faeces. the activity of one or more specific target organs.
working together to perform body functions. Ultrafiltration: It is the process where blood coming from
Deamination: Breaking down of excess amino acids by the renal artery is filtered through the glomerulus Tropism: The response in which parts of the plant
Diffusion: The movement of particles from an area of high removing the nitrogen containing group forming urea. capillaries into the renal capsule. grow towards or away from a certain stimulus.
concentration to an area of low concentration (down the
concentration gradient) due to random movement of Photosynthesis: It is the process by which plants Selective reabsorption: It is the process where all glucose Phototropism: The response in which parts of the
molecules. manufacture carbohydrates from raw materials using is reabsorbed by active transport from the kidney tubules plant grow towards or away from the direction of light.
energy from light. back to the blood in order not to be lost in urine.
Osmosis: The movement of water molecules from a region Gravitropism: The response in which parts of the
of higher water potential (dilute solution) to a region of Transpiration: It is the loss of water vapour from the Homeostasis: Maintaining (Keeping) the internal plant grow towards or away from gravity.
lower water potential (concentrated solution) through a plant leaves from the spongy mesophyll layer through environment of the body constant.
partially permeable membrane. the stomata by diffusion. It is the control of internal conditions to a set point. Asexual reproduction: A type of reproduction where
(standards) by negative feedback mechanism. a single parent produces a genetically identical
Active transport: The movement of particles through a Translocation: It is the movement of sucrose and amino offspring by mitosis without the formation of gametes.
cell membrane through a protein carrier from a region of acids from source to sink through the phloem. Nerve impulse: An electrical signal that passes along
its lower concentration to a region of its higher nerve cells called neurones. Sexual reproduction: A type of reproduction where 2
concentration (against the concentration gradient) using Double circulation: It means that the blood reaches the parents are involved producing genetically different
energy from respiration. heart twice in one complete circulation. Stimulus: Change in the external or internal environment offspring. It involves gamete production by meiosis,
of the body. fertilization and zygote formation.
Balanced diet: Diet containing all food groups in the right Single circulation: It means that the blood reaches the
amount according to age, gender & activity. heart once in one complete circulation. Receptor: Specialized cells that detect a specific stimulus.
Pollination: It is the transfer of pollen grains from the Allele: An alternative form or a version of a gene that Fitness: The probability of an organism surviving and Decomposer: A micro-organism (bacteria or fungus) that
anther to the stigma. codes for a certain protein (or characteristic) reproducing in the environment in which it is found. gets its energy from dead or waste organic material.

Self-pollination: It is the transfer of pollen grains from Phenotype: The observable features or the physical Natural selection: A process by which the best organisms Trophic level: It is as the position of an organism in a food
the anther of one flower to the stigma of the same appearance of an organism adapted to their environment have a greater chance for chain, food web or ecological pyramid.
flower or another flower of the same plant. survival.
Genotype: The genetic make-up of an organism in Food web: A network of interconnected food chains.
Cross pollination: It is the transfer of pollen grains terms of the alleles present Adaptation: It is the process resulting from natural
from the anther of one flower to the stigma of another selection, by which populations become more suited to Nitrogen fixation: The process where nitrogen fixing
flower of another plant of the same species. Homozygous: An individual having two identical their environment over many generations. bacteria in the root nodules of leguminous plants convert
alleles of a particular gene (2 dominant or 2 recessive) nitrogen gas into ammonium ions and then into nitrates.
Fertilisation: It is the fusion of a male gamete with the Artificial selection (Selective breeding): A process by
female gamete forming a zygote. Heterozygous: An individual having two different which humans choose & breed the best varieties of Nitrification: The process where nitrifying bacteria in the
alleles of a particular gene (1 dominant & 1 recessive) domestic animals & plants in order to improve their strain. soil convert ammonium ions into nitrates.
Seed germination: It is when a seedling grows
(emerges) from a seed. Dominant: An allele that is expressed if it is present in Biotechnology: It is the use of biological processes or Denitrification: The process where denitrifying bacteria in
the genotype organisms to manufacture products intended to improve the soil convert nitrates into nitrogen gas.
Ovulation: Release of an ovum (egg cell) from the It is the allele expressed in a heterozygous individual the quality of human life.
ovary into the oviduct. Intensive livestock production: Chickens, cattles and calves
Recessive: An allele that can be only expressed when Genetic modification: It is changing the genetic material are often reared in large sheds instead of being in open fields.
Menstruation: Release of broken-down uterus lining, there is no dominant allele in the genotype of an organism by removing, changing or inserting
dead ovum and blood through the vagina for 3 – 5 days. It is expressed in a homozygous recessive, it is masked individual genes. Monoculture: It is when a crop of a single species is grown
by the dominant allele in a heterozygous individual on the same land, year after year.
HIV: human immunodeficiency virus. Habitat: A place which provides food, shelter & breeding
Co-dominance: The organism has two dominant but site for a living organism. Biodiversity: The number of different species that live in an
AIDS: acquired immune deficiency syndrome. different alleles for a certain characteristic. area.
Both alleles are expressed in its phenotype giving an Population: A group of organisms of the same species
Inheritance: The transmission of genetic information intermediate form of both parent alleles. living in the same area, at the same time. Deforestation: It is the cutting down of trees in forests over a
from generation to generation. large scale.
Sex-linked characteristic: A characteristic in which Community: All of the populations of different species in
Protein synthesis: It is the process of assembling the gene responsible is located on the X chromosome an ecosystem. Non-biodegradable wastes: Wastes that are not decomposed
amino acids in the correct sequence into a protein and that this makes is more common in males. by microorganisms, they accumulate causing water pollution.
molecule. Ecosystem: Is a unit containing the community of living
Variation: The differences between individuals of the organisms and their environment interacting together. Fertilisers: Chemicals that farmers use to increase the
Haploid nucleus: A nucleus containing a single set of same species. growth rate of plants. (ex: nitrates and magnesium).
chromosomes (e.g. in gametes). Food chain: It shows the transfer of energy from one
Discontinuous variation: It results in a limited organism to the next beginning with a producer. Insecticides (pesticides): Chemicals that farmers use to kill
Diploid nucleus: A nucleus containing two sets of number of different phenotypes showing distinct insects that eat the plant crops.
chromosomes; one from the father & one from the categories with no intermediates. Producer: An organism that makes its own organic
mother (e.g. body cells) nutrients using energy from sunlight by photosynthesis. It Herbicides: Chemicals that farmers use to kill weeds (herbs)
Continuous variation: It results in a wide range of converts light energy (sunlight) into chemical energy. that compete with crop plants for water, minerals & sunlight.
Mitosis: A nuclear division where a cell divides to phenotypes between two extremes with no distinct
produce 2 genetically identical diploid cells. categories. Consumer: An organism that gets its energy by feeding on Sustainable resource: A resource which is produced as
other organisms. rapidly as it is removed from the environment so that it
Stem cells: Unspecialised cells that divide by mitosis to Mutation: A genetic change where new alleles are does not run out.
produce daughter cells that can become specialised for formed. Herbivore: An animal that gets its energy by eating plants
specific functions. only (ex: Rabbit). Endangered species: Species exposed to the danger of
Gene mutation: A random change in the base extinction.
Meiosis: A nuclear division where a cell divides to sequence of DNA. Carnivore: An animal that gets its energy by eating other
produce 4 genetically different haploid cells. animals only (flesh or meat) as lions. Captive breeding programmes: Used to increase a species
Chromosomal mutation: A change in the whole numbers by breeding in captivity and releasing the animals
Chromosome: A thread-like structure of DNA carrying chromosome by changing the number of Omnivore: An animal that gets its energy by eating plants back into the environment.
genetic information in the form of genes chromosomes. or animals (ex: Human).
Seed banks: A way of protecting plant species from
Gene: Length of DNA that codes for a certain protein. Adaptive feature: An inherited feature that helps an Prey: An animal that is eaten by another animal. extinction by storing seed from food crops and rare species.
organism to survive and reproduce in its environment. They act as gene banks.
Predator: An animal that catches and eats another animal.